Changes to the Nash pool room include the removal of the planter boxes, a new floor on the deck, a handicapped lift for the hot tub, and large glass windows. There are also changes to the filters and pumps in the basement of the building. Photo by Chris Johnson

Caption

Don Griffin, Oregon Park District's superintendent of environmental services, talks about the changes to the pool room at Nash. Changes include the removal of the planter boxes, a new floor on the deck, a handicapped lift for the hot tub, and large glass windows. Photo by Chris Johnson

By Jason Hickman - Reporter

The Oregon Park District will host a Grand Re-opening Pool Party at Nash Recreation Center on Friday, Aug. 9 from 5 to 7 p.m.

The event will include an open swim and raffle prizes.

Hot dogs, chips, and frozen treats will be served, and Rock River Sound will provide music and entertainment.

The facilities at Nash will be free all day.

The pool was closed for the first part of the summer while renovations and improvements were made.

In addition to the party, special open swims will be held Aug. 5-9, Aug. 12, and Aug. 13 from 2 to 5 p.m.

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After a summer of hard work the Oregon Park District employees and patrons will be able to cool off in the new and improved Nash Recreation Center pool early next week.

The pool will re-open on Monday, Aug. 5.

Park district officials can’t wait for patrons to see all that has been done during the summer months.

“This renovation will help the building move into the future,” said Oregon Park District Executive Director Erin Folk. “It kind of completes the renovations that we started in 2009 with our front lobby, and it really has brought the building together.”

The process was started more than a year ago when the park district identified different projects in the building that needed to be addressed. After securing grant money for the project, the final step was to do the work.

“We made a capital plan, and after receiving the grant money we tried to figure out what projects were most important,” said Don Griffin, superintendent of environmental services.

The project would not have been able to be completed on the park district’s adventurous time schedule without the help of a PARC Grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

“We have been very fortunate to receive the funding through the grant,” said Folk. “The project would not have been completed as quickly as it was without that grant.”

Some of the more noticeable things were changing out the windows in the pool area along with repainting the deck, but there were a lot of things that will not be as easily seen by patrons once the aquatic area is back up and running on Aug. 5.

“The aquatic area is a very caustic area, so things had rusted through or were worn down paper thin,” said Griffin. “We wanted to fix all the structural things first, and that was quite a process.”

One of the main goals of the project was to fix the leaking roof and put up some well insulated walls around the facility that would reduce the pool area to an insulation value of R-25, and Griffin said they have actually been able to surpass that value because of the work.

“Our roof was over 30 years old,” said Griffin. “We have put a flat roof on the entire building which is well insulated and it will really help reduce costs.”

Making their money stretch was one of the many difficult processes throughout the project, and some of those things still need to be completed.

“The aquatic area is on time to open Aug. 5 with a grand opening of Aug. 9,” said Griffin. “Some of the other parts of the project, such as the air handlers on the roof, have yet to be completed.”

As with any other project of this magnitude, Griffin said there were unforeseen difficulties that the park district needed to address, but it was very minimal.

“When you have a project of this size you are going to have things pop up,” said Griffin. “On the whole, the project has gone very well. We have been able to work through some of the things that could have really been big issues.”

All of the projects taken on during this process have been to make sure that the building continues to be what the Oregon community needs for the future, said Griffin.

“Not only was it a revitalization of our aquatic area, but it helped us get the building to a place where it is ready for another 30 plus years,” said Griffin. “It makes it a safer facility that will be more energy efficient, which were two of our main goals.”

The project has stayed on schedule, which is hard to do with an undertaking of this magnitude.

“There were a lot of skeptical people when we planned this project about the completion date,” said Folk. “The fact that we are staying on schedule is because of the work of Don and his staff, along with our local contractors that have been very wonderful to work with throughout.”

The process did take the pool area out of service for several months, and Griffin hopes their patrons realize it was a much needed time for the facility.

“I appreciate the patience of the community while this project has been going on,” said Griffin. “I hope that patience will pay off and that this is a building that people in the community can continue to be proud of for years to come.”